Huichol Beaded Bull And Cow Skulls

Jun 27, 2019

The process of creating Huichol art is deeply rooted in the ancient traditions of the indigenous people of Mexico who especially like to depict images of nature in their art. Over 30,000 beads are placed one-by-one over a layer of a beeswax mixture which acts as a natural adhesive and dries slowly which is an added benefit for this labor-intensive art form.

The images that are commonly present in Huichol art are those of deer, birds, peyote, arrows, candles, scorpions, snakes and "Ojo de Dios" (God's eye) which are the star-like designs commonly seen in this art form

Before the Huichol can start decorating the bull skulls are thoroughly cleaned inside and out. This process can take up to several weeks since mother nature takes care of most of the work until the last few stages when they are washed and cleaned manually and sometimes covered with a layer of white paint. Most skulls are made to have removable horns which prevent breaking during shipment. They simply slide on and off. They also come with attached metal wire loops for adding a splash of color to any wall.